Learner-centered Survey of Point-of-care Ultrasound Training, Competence, and Implementation Barriers in Emergency Medicine Training Programs in India

Keith S Boniface, Aaran Drake, Matthew Pyle, Fabith Moideen, Sanjay Mehta, Venugopal Poovathumparambil, Hamid Shokoohi, Katherine Douglass

AEM Educ Train. 2019 Dec 27;4(4):387-394

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is important to the practice of emergency medicine (EM), but requires training to achieve competence. The purpose of this study was to describe the current state of POCUS practice and perceived barriers to the implementation in EM training programs in India.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey consisting of 28 questions was administered to 378 faculty and residents in postgraduate EM training programs across India.

Results: Data were collected from 159 physicians from 16 institutions; 76% of them were EM residents, with a response rate of 42%. Respondents overwhelmingly reported high interest (91%) in learning POCUS topics. Respondents identified highest levels of comfort with the performance and interpretation of trauma ultrasound (US) and echocardiography. Conversely, there was a scarce interest and low levels of competence in performing obstetric US, which may be a result of the practice of triaging these complaints to obstetricians and gynecologists. Lack of US equipment and dedicated training were the highest rated barriers by a significant margin, which 56% of respondents ranked as "very important."

Conclusions: While significant interest in POCUS exists among the Indian EM physicians, comfort and competence were limited to trauma and echocardiography applications. Expansion of and comfort with POCUS use in these settings may be sought through improvement of access to US equipment and a dedicated US curriculum.